The name Kalms reached English shores for the first time with the ancestors of the Kalms family as they migrated following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Kalms family lived at Kelham in Nottinghamshire, a parish northwest of Newark. The name Kalms is derived from the Old Norse expression for at the ridges. It is most commonly found in Northamptonshire and Nottinghamshire.

Early Origins of the Kalms family

The surname Kalms was first found in Nottinghamshire. "A Norman family, who derive their name from Kelham, near Newark-upon-Trent, co. Nottingham, where they were seated at an early period. They still bear in their arms three covered cups, in allusion to the office of cup-bearer to Alan, earl of Richmond, the Conqueror's son-in-law, which was held by their ancestor. " [1]CITATION[CLOSE]Lowe, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.

This was the place that Charles I. spent his last night before he gave himself up to the Scottish army, who encamped on the spot in May, 1646. [2]CITATION[CLOSE]Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.

Early History of the Kalms family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kalms research.Another 189 words (14 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Kalms History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kalms Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names tend to be marked by an enormous number of spelling variations. This is largely due to the fact that Old and Middle English lacked any spelling rules when Norman French was introduced in the 11th century. The languages of the English courts at that time were French and Latin. These various languages mixed quite freely in the evolving social milieu. The final element of this mix is that medieval scribes spelled words according to their sounds rather than any definite rules, so a name was often spelled in as many different ways as the number of documents it appeared in. The name was spelled Kellam, Kelham and others.

Early Notables of the Kalms family (pre 1700)

More information is included under the topic Early Kalms Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Kalms family to Ireland

Some of the Kalms family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.Another 74 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

The Kalms Motto

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.